Dark Paradise
by elenasempathy
Summary: Takes off from 5x22. Elena is grieving from Damon's death but then something strange happens...Is he really gone? DELENA
1. Chapter 1

_All my friends tell me I should move on_  
_I'm lying in the ocean, singing your song_  
_Ahhh, that's how you sang it_

_Loving you forever, can't be wrong_  
_Even though you're not here, won't move on_  
_Ahhh, that's how we played it_

_And there's no remedy_  
_For memory_  
_Your face is like a melody,_  
_It won't leave my head_  
_Your soul is haunting me_  
_And telling me_  
_That everything is fine_  
_But I wish I was dead_  
_(dead like you)_

* * *

The things she would do to feel him, hear his raspy voice or just to see him….

It has been two and a half months.

She thought the summer after losing her parents or looking for Stefan was hard. She was wrong.

The first month was the absolute worst month of her existence. She physically could not eat or think properly. She would just sit somewhere staring into nothing for days on end. Of course that didn't last long with _them _watching over her. They are worried. She knows that. But at times they are so hovering and so forceful for her to move on it makes her worried she will have nothing of him left.

His scent is practically gone now from the sheets she has yet to wash. She doesn't touch the closet where his items and clothes are. Everyone including herself are walking on eggshells. Afraid one thing will send her over the edge.

There was one night in particular Stefan mentioned Damon's name…._Big _mistake. Elena snapped and started throwing everything near her at him before they had to vervain her and contain her in the cellar.

She feels so weak that just the mention of his name can send her spiraling. It has gotten better since then though in a lot of ways. But in other ways,

It's gotten worse.

Now she doesn't feel much. She feels almost numb. A lot like when her switch was off when her brother died but she still has feelings attached to everything. So it is like the crappy watered down version of it. She tried, trust me Elena tried to shut off her humanity multiple times. The pain is so intense and overwhelming is just snaps the barrier and she is back where she started.

A few weeks ago Elena made a break through. A bad one. But something to get her through.

She was yelling at her brother and Alaric in particular for trying to force her to move on when she stormed out of the house. Her first time out of the house since his…death. She didn't know where to go so she just kept driving in the car Stefan bought her since the Camaro is long gone. She saw spotlights and headed in that direction. Needless to say she has spent the better part of the last month at the bar a town away. It doesn't solve anything but boy does it make her miserable life a lot better.

Elena puts on a halter top and some leather skinny jeans with heals. She feels nice. If he saw her in this he would think so too… She shakes her head of those unnecessary thoughts and straightens her hair and puts on her makeup.

She feels the anticipation of going there and loosing herself so she tries to hurry. She can't wait. She didn't go last night because her brother wanted to spend time with her. Even though she is as useful as air is to a vampire right now she knows he also lost someone as well and that he loved and he needs someone, the only family he has left. Her. Of course he tried to intervene her slowly disintegrating life towards the end of the night which she then called off the bonding and went to bed. She doesn't fight or yell anymore. Elena doesn't have it in her. She no longer has the 'fire'. The same fire that Damon loved. She tried so hard to hold onto herself at the beginning and stay strong but there is no use. In the end she just needs him.

She quickly sweeps her hair to the side and looks emotionlessly at the stranger in the mirror before she grabs her keys and heads downstairs.

Everyone is in the parlor whispering and as soon as they see her it immediately stops. Jeez could they be more obvious Elena thought.

Elena doesn't talk to them much. She loves them, and thanks them for being there and their support but Elena can feel the distance she is putting between her and everyone. She doesn't have it in her to love someone else when she can't even love herself. Hell she can't even take care of herself.

Elena glances briefly at them, Stefan nods, understanding before she is out the door and it slams behind her.

She use to hear them every now and then thinking of plans to bring him back and at first she tried to help the best she could but in the end they were all loose ends and it made it worse on her. She lost hope. They all did.

Elena knew something would go wrong that night. God she fucking knew. Elena told him while looking in those beautiful cerulean eyes 'what _if _something goes wrong' but he had so much confidence… The plan seemed bulletproof. But Elena has learned nothing is what it seems.

She gets in her bulky SUV and quickly cruises down the road. She fumbles with the glove box while driving and grabs a cigarette. About a week ago when Elena was outside the bar a woman came up to her and offered a cigarette she was about to decline but instead she grabbed it out of her hands and lit it. Vampire or not, it calms her. And right now Elena will take what she can get.

About 20 minutes later she arrives at her safe haven and can feel some tension easing away at the thought of losing herself in here once again. The good thing about being a depressed vampire is you can't get alcohol poisoning. Well you can, but it will just heal the next minute.

Very convenient.

She grabs her credit card from her purse, puts it in her pocket before stepping out of the car and heading inside.

"Elena." Ben greets.

"Ben you know the drill." Elena looks at him pointedly.

"Bourbon neat." He nods.

She sighs leaning against the bar looking out at all the other people here letting go of their inhibitions. Everyone has their own reason why they are here at this hole in the corner bar. But no one asks.

"Here." He says behind her.

She drinks it in one go before scooting it back to him with a small smile on her face.

"Damn girl." He shakes his head laughing before going off and making another one.

She smiles as he leaves. He is one of the only people she can talk to. He won't ask questions. He gives her endless drinks without being compelled and he just _gets _it.

She is about to sit down on the stool when someone next to her grabs her attention. "Hey beautiful." A deep voice says next to her. Elena raises her eyebrow looking over and sees a big motorcyclist looking her up and down.

He does nothing for her.

No surprise.

"No thank you." Elena says coldly and tries to turn away.

He grabs her wrists, stopping her. "Where do you think you are going?"

She sighs but twists his wrists as he screams in pain before she leads him outside and into the back ally. He is still cursing in pain and is about to slap her when she slams him up against the wall and looks into his eyes. "You will shut the fuck up and never touch a woman like that again you hear me?"

He nods emotionlessly.

"Good." She grins before biting into his neck. He struggles a little but that is what she likes. She moans tasting the alcohol in his blood making it all that much more toxic. Elena can tell she needs to stop soon but she can't find it in her to care. She feels him getting weaker and weaker but keeps going. His blood is swirling around her mouth like melted chocolate and it tastes so good. Elena feels his hands at her neck holding onto her then he is on the ground. She looks at him confused before she gasps. Elena kneels down to him listening.

Nothing.

He is dead.

Elena covers her face with her hands in shock. She has no control.

She tells herself there is nothing more to do so she grabs his arms and pulls him to the end of the ally and out of the light.

Elena gives him a long look. _Sorry._ She tells him in her head. Elena feels even worse because she feels like she should feel sadder about killing someone but instead his death just makes her feel closer to _him_.

She gives him one last look before turning around to go pick up her bourbon that is waiting for her.

* * *

It is about 2 am when Elena stumbles out of her car. She barely made it here without crashing but vampire reflexes and all she is fine. Elena makes it two steps when Alaric and Jeremy rush out to help her. Like always.

"I'm fine." Elena slurs.

"No you're not." Jeremy sighs grabbing on to her waist as he leads her to the door.

"God Elena…" Alaric sighs sadly, grabbing her other side.

They help Elena into the house and up the stairs into Damon's room which she now uses as her own. Alaric carefully places her on the bed and throws some blankets over her.

"Elena…You have to learn that it will be awhile till he comes back if not ever. But you can't live like this. It is not what he would have wanted…""

Elena sighs rolling over, ignoring him like always. She hears him let out a sigh before she hears him stand up and walk out of the room.

She rolls on her back to see if anyone else is still here but they are all gone. Probably to plan the next 'Elena intervention'. She thinks back to earlier to night how she killed that man and barely felt a thing besides shock. Elena wonders if they found the body. Eh probably not till the sun comes out. She shrugs nonchalantly before rolling over and letting sleep take over her.

…...

_She opens her eyes to find herself and a very bright…meadow? Confused she looks around and strangely enough it is a meadow. She stands up shakily. How did she get here? What is she doing here?_

_The whole meadow is covered in different patches of flowers and bright green grass. She really hasn't seen anything more beautiful. Almost like it is not real. She sits up touching the flowers and looking around absorbing it all in. She is speechless at how incredible it is._

_Something about this place though….She feels free. And happy. Like nothing can go wrong here. She wants to stay here forever. She decides to stand up and walk around to discover this place she is in. There has to be a reason she is here….As she walks around more she hears something. At first she thought it might have been her but….Something else is here._

_She gets an eery feeling. All the sudden it doesn't seem so great here after all. She has a bad feeling. As she hears the sounds again and again, getting nearer she decides to run from the source of the sound but comes up short._

_What?!_

_She tries to fun again but its….slow…?_

_It is human pace!_

_She can only run like a human!? What kind of place is this?! Where is she!? _

_Wherever she is she wants out, and now._

_Scared and confused she runs anyway and as fast as she can as the sound gets closer and closer to her. She doesn't know what is happening but whatever it is knows she is here and if she can't run like a vampire and they are chasing her._

_It has to be something bad._

_She keeps running even though she knows they are out running her._

_She has to try._

_She hears this right behind her and pushes herself using all her energy to get away from them but before she knows it she is tackled to the ground. She screams, closing her eyes trying to get away but she can't do much with no vampire strength. Whoever has her has a tight lock and doesn't let go._

"_Elena!"_

_She freezes._

_She opens her eyes to her one and only. _

**_Damon._**

* * *

**Let me know what you think?**

Been wanting to get my theory out but have been...lazy. Hahahaha but finally did it.

Depending on response i might continue. Most likely. :D


	2. Chapter 2

_Every time I close my eyes  
It's like a dark paradise  
No one compares to you  
I'm scared that you  
Won't be waiting on the other side  
Every time I close my eyes  
It's like a dark paradise  
No one compares to you  
But there's no you,  
Except in my dreams tonight.  
_

* * *

_Damon._

_What is happening? This all feels real…_

_Where is she!_

_She pushes him off in confusion, afraid it is some crazy psychopath like Alaric was. She won't be fooled again with a loved one coming back._

"_Who are you?" Her voice quivers. _

"_Elena…. It's me… Damon…" He sounds afraid._

"_But-But your dead!" She yells. "So answer me, who are you!"_

"_Elena. I don't have much time. But baby…I need you to listen to me." He pleads grabbing her face in his hands._

"_What." She breathes out almost forgetting everything she thought prior._

"_This is a dream. Me and Bonnie are here temporarily until we can open up the other side again or walk through into your world. I am real, this is really me but we are in my world right now. Do you understand." His voice breaks._

_She nods vigorously still unsure what to say and in shock she is seeing him again._

"_There is a witch. A very powerful one. She is in Venice Italy, her name is Zarah….I need you guys to go there. She will _know _what to do." _

"_I…But…" Elena rambles, still lost._

"_Elena….I need you to trust me okay? I can come back, it is possible but you guys need to trust me." He pleads once again._

"_I love you so much…And I trust you with my life but Damon…How the hell am I supposed to believe something like this when I wake up and you are still gone?" Her voice breaks. _

_He sighs leaning his head against hers. "I know. I can't even imagine what you have been through the past couple months…Bonnie and I have only just figured out how to get inside dreams… and it takes a lot of power and time that I am running out of. Elena. When you wake up I need you to go to Venice Italy and ask for a witch that goes by 'Zarah'.We don't know where she lives except in that city but I am sure you can find her…" He grips her face extra hard with an intense expression on his. "I love you so much. And I am so sorry I broke my promise."_

_He kisses her lips hard with a lot of force before there is a blinding light._

_And he is gone._

* * *

Elena gasps a lungful full of air, sitting upright in bed. After a while she steadies her breathing. Rubbing her hands over her face she groans at that dream. Was it real? She can't tell. I mean she wants it to be but what are the chances…. Maybe it is just her subconscious wanting him back because lord knows she does.

But what if for some reason it all was real. She couldn't live with herself any more than she is now if she didn't do something to bring him back.

She said to trust him, even in her dreams she does.

Without hesitation she rips off her covers and flies throughout the room packing a bag in seconds. She packs many shorts but regretfully she packs some of his stuff. Just in case. She feels weird touching his clothes and shoes almost like she is ruining them but she ignores those thoughts and puts them in the bag with her things.

She decides when she is walking down the stairs to fly down there and check it out for herself without telling them. I mean, imagine after a crazy drunk filled night she woke up at 4 am to tell them Damon talked to her in her dream and he can come back if they all flew to Italy because there is a witch that lives there.

Yeah.

She will go by herself first and see if this witch even exists.

She is just about to open the door when she hears the familiar '_whoosh_'. Groaning she turns around and comes to face with everyone crossing their arms.

"Oh god." Elena starts. "Okay, I know this looks bad…."

"Looks bad? Elena it is 4am you have a suitcase in your hand while trying to walk out the door…." Alaric raises his eyebrow.

"Look if I told you, you wouldn't believe me and wouldn't let me go. I _can't _risk it." She begs.

"Elena a lot of us in this room are dead and have come back to life multiple times. Sit and tell us." Alaric almost orders.

She groans putting her bag down to go sit on the couch. Everyone is staring at her waiting for her to tell them. Caroline and Stefan have worried looks on their faces almost like she is going to deliver bad news. Alaric and Jeremy looked pretty pissed like they thought she was moving out and never coming back.

She sighs putting her head in her hands trying to think how to word to them that someone they are all close to in a way talked to her in her sleep and could very well come back.

"Damon talked to me last night." She puts it bluntly. "In my dreams."

Everyone perks up and suddenly all very alert and awake.

"What?!" Caroline shrieks.

"How? What did he say?" Stefan asks quickly.

"That bastard." Alaric mutters.

"Wait…Was Bonnie there too? Elena!" Jeremy yells over everyone.

"I didn't see her but Damon mentioned her…." She assures him. "Do you guys believe me? Because I am not even sure I believe myself… but I can't let it go…" She looks to everyone else.

"I do." Alaric says without missing a beat. "I have been waiting for something like this to happen. I expected him to pop his head out of the fire or something but this … is something else."

"I want to believe it…" Stefan whispers.

"I get it." Elena nods. "I was and am still the same… I want it to be real so bad…"

"Where did he say to go? Where were _you _going?" Jeremy speaks up.

"Damon said there is a witch in Italy. A very powerful one that can help us. I know we all searched for a while after… his death." Elena coughs out. "for witches around the world but I want to find her. Her name is Zarah and she is in Venice Italy somewhere. If she doesn't exist I will drop it but… I _need _to know."

Elena feels a sense of comfort talking to them again. She would normally speak a few words to them a day or a week but talking to them this much again really feels nice. If this doesn't work out she will try harder at speaking to everyone she tells herself.

"Wait." Caroline stops anyone else from saying anything. "How in the hell are we supposed to believe this?!"

"…Because…" Alaric began. "We have nothing else to believe in."

We all nod in agreement.

This is really their last chance and basically a needle in a haystack. Elena could have been hallucinating and this is all for nothing but, they had to try.

Caroline sighs in defeat. "Fine we will go… I mean I guess she did have dreams about Stefan that turned out to be right…" Caroline says hesitantly but Elena could tell she was cautious.

"Damon said to hurry so…. Everyone pack or I will leave in 20 minutes without you." Elena warns.

They all nod and quickly head up to their rooms to pack. Elena sighs leaning back into the couch. This could all go completely wrong. All their hope could be taken away and he still might not ever come back. It breaks her heart to think like that but that dream really woke things up inside of her.

Just hearing his voice and seeing him…_feeling _him made her realize she doesn't ever have to move on from him, because she won't but she can't keep living her life like the way she was. It wasn't her. And she knew deep down she never liked doing those things. And killing that man…..

She made a huge mistake but at least now she is stopping so she won't make anymore. Hopefully.

Within fifteen minutes everyone was downstairs with a bag and ready to go. They are all chasing something so small that had a chance of blowing up in their faces but they were doing it. For _him_.

"Well…Let's go." Alaric sighs.

Everyone nods. They load up the car with their bags before heading to the airport. They aren't really worried about getting airplane tickets this late because at this point they will compel their way through anything.

On the way there Elena feels a building up in her chest that she tries to push back down. It is hope. She doesn't want hope. Because the chance of this not working is very high and she will be devastated enough as it is. She feels someone grab her hand and her predator instincts kick in and want to snatch it away but when she looks over she sees Jeremy squeezing her hand.

He nods.

Her heart breaks because he totally gets it. He is in the same place. He lost Bonnie that night as well and sort of in the same way. Both of them lied. And now here Elena and Jeremy are without them. Elena is pretty sure if Bonnie or Damon ever came back they would both ream them out.

Everyone is silent though. Trying not to speak the elephant too much which is they woke up at 3am to listen to Elena's dream about talking to Damon and how there is a way for him to come back. It seems crazy but after living in this town they all know to listen to crazy.

They arrive at the airport. Everyone is still silent as they grab their bags and make their way through the airport. As they knew they had to compel tickets. Stefan did it for them. They all had a pang of pain knowing normally Damon would be the one to do it.

Finally once on the airplane Elena finds a seat near the window and takes a seat. She hears someone next to hear sit down but she doesn't look to see who it is because she can smell them.

"Stefan you can sit with Caroline." Elena sighs turning back to the window.

She feels him take her hand and squeeze it. "I hope we get him back Elena….I am so sorry this all happened because of me-"

"Stefan stop." Elena snaps. "I am tired of hearing that. You can say sorry after this is all over." She leans against the headrest. Tired.

"I want you to know I was really happy for you two. And that in my whole life I have known Damon I have never seen him happier than the couple years he knew you." He shrugs before getting up and leaving.

She feels some tears prickle her eyes but shake them away. She can't go there. Elena looks out the window again as they are about to take off and wondering if next time she is here she will have him by her side…. How he would probably swagger his way through the airport as if he didn't just die for 3 months. She bites her lip fighting the smile trying to break through and tries to stall time by taking a nap. Cause god knows she won't be able to sleep there. Elena brings her knees up to her chest and rests her head on them before she is deep asleep.

….

_She groans rubbing her eyes before opening them. She almost jumps when she realizes it is the same meadow. She quickly stands up and darts her eyes around looking for him, wasting no time._

"_Damon!" She calls out._

_Nothing._

_Elena decides to run in the same direction she saw him last time but comes up short. She can feel the fear building up. What if something went wrong? What if they had to leave this place? She runs her hand through her hair, inwardly cursing._

_But she remembers Damon telling her he has to work her to get her here….So he must be looking for her too…..Smiling at the thought she runs faster heading nowhere while calling his name. Elena keeps trying heading in meaningless directions but doesn't give up hope because she knows this is the one place she can find him._

_Damn though. She really wouldn't mind living here with him…It is so serene and peaceful like…heaven. She swallows painfully at that thought and continues searching._

"_Elena!" She turns to the sound and her heart stops. Elena sees Damon running towards her with the biggest grin on his face before his body crashes into hers holding her impossibly tight. "Thank god! I thought I missed you…"_

_She kisses his shoulder blade and shakes her head. "Nope. You will have to do a lot more to get rid of me." She smiles against him._

_He rubs her back in small patterns and kisses her head. "All going good?" He whispers._

_She nods. "I…I didn't believe it at first because I woke up and you weren't there…" She chokes out. "But I knew I couldn't live with myself if it all turned out to be true…And I knew I couldn't live without you." Elena confesses._

_His shoulders slump almost in awe before he crashes his lips to hers. Elena wraps her arms around his neck and holds on tight. Afraid he will disappear. She feels his hand roam around her waist and she loves feeling him all over again and feeling the passion. She missed it._

_He groans pulling away. "As much as I would love to spend countless hours kissing and doing other things we are on a time limit." He sighs leaning his head against mine. "We don't get a lot of time. The most Bonnie has ever gotten was 10 minutes. But Elena I promise you that I am trying my damn freaking hardest to make it back to you. I won't promise that I will make it back because I won't go there again and put you in that situation but I love you Elena Gilbert. And I hope to see you soon." He kisses her head before everything goes white. _

* * *

Elena gasps sitting upright. She looks around and sees everyone is fast asleep as well as it is early morning. She rubs her hands over her face groaning in protest. She didn't want it to end. That kiss…. Was the best thing she has felt in months. It sparked some life inside of her even though technically it wasn't real. She feels like she is going insane but she doesn't care. Because she feels close to him and that is all that matters.

She _will _get Damon back.

* * *

**Review your thoughts?**

Thanks so much to the response last chapter! Wow. *hugs*

I have been super duper busy and can hardly write but I managed to write this. I wanted to do a longer chapter but I also wanted to ensure you guys that it would continue and the path it was going on. Won't be super long. But I know for a fact you will like how I play it out ;D

Again thanks for the kind responses, Until next time. Xo.


	3. Chapter 3

_All my friends ask me why I stay strong_  
_ Tell 'em when you find true love it lives on_  
_ that's why I stay here_

_ And there's no remedy_  
_ For memory_  
_ Your face is like a melody,_  
_ It won't leave my head_  
_ Your soul is haunting me_  
_ And telling me_  
_ That everything is fine_

* * *

"Elena stop! You will stay here while we go find Damon." Stefan orders.

"No! For the last time I am coming with." Elena argues.

They have been arguing over this subject since they arrived to their hotel. On and off they told her Elena and Caroline should stay here while they go out to make sure if something goes wrong they are nowhere near and they don't have to witness that. Elena strongly disagrees.

"Elena…we don't know what condition we will find Damon in….He would want this." Alaric says calmly.

"What? No! Is if you he is talking with in your dreams? No. Fucking let me go damn it!" Elena snaps.

"Elena…" Jeremy tries to calm her.

Everyone jumps at her tone and language. She is not one to use vulgar things unless there is a significant reason. Like now. They all gain their composure before speaking. "Elena…Caroline is staying with you too. We just… need to make sure he is safe first. Plus Damon would kick our asses if something happened to you." Stefan tries to calm Elena down.

She rubs her hands over her face for a few moments, regaining her composure before she nods. "Fine. I am trusting you guys with this. But I swear if you put him in harm or don't try your hardest…."

"We know." Alaric nods.

"Just….bring him back to me." Elena's voice cracks at the end giving away her vulnerability for the first time in a long time.

Alaric nods. "I will try my best. You know that."

Elena and Jeremy share a nod, both wanting a good outcome before they shut the door and are gone.

"Elena…It will be fine. You know they will try everything right? It is _Damon _we are talking about." She rubs Elena's arms soothingly.

"If he doesn't come back." Elena whispers. "I don't know what I will do."

Elena keeps going back and forth from having determination to get him back but preparing for the bad. She knows the stakes and the risks and she is expecting it all. She is trying her hardest to get him back, that will never change but she won't rely on the hope for happiness either because she knows in the end that would destroy her.

"Oh Elena…" Caroline sympathizes. "Don't think like that."

Elena shrugs Caroline's hand off. "But I am! He is everything to me Caroline! He is….God….I love him so much….I just…I don't…" Elena starts to cry.

Caroline is taken aback for a moment at Elena crying. She hasn't seen it in so long but brings herself together and holds her friend in her arms. "Elena, he could be walking into this room tonight. Don't cry until you have a reason." She comforts.

Elena tries to nod and believe what Caroline is saying but her sanity really depends on how the next few hours will go. He will either make it back or not. This is really her last chance. She wants to believe she will move on and live her life like he would want but….She can't imagine a life without Damon in it.

"Do you want to go to bed? It might be awhile…" Caroline asks Elena while still holding her in her arms.

Elena sniffles before sitting up and wiping her eyes. "I am scared I will see him again…" Elena admits.

"In your dreams?"

Elena nods.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"I mean at first it was but now…I am scared I will rely on it too much and….Have hope." Elena speaks the words out loud for the first time and feels fresh tears running down her wet cheeks.

"Hope is a good thing Elena." Caroline tries to joke a little but Elena won't have it.

"You know what, whatever. I will go to bed." Elena says with no emotion etching her face and shutting her bedroom door behind her.

She closes the door and lets out a deep breath. She loves Caroline but talking to her was making Elena feel worse for feeling like this and reacting this way. She had to get away.

She eyes her bed like it is her worst enemy. She wants to be prepared for the worst so she doesn't have as much to lose. At the same time she would be extremely disappointed and worried if he didn't show up….She is lost.

Giving up and feeling exhaustion creep up on her she lies down on her bed and closes her eyes. She doesn't know what she will dream about or what will happen when she wakes up.

But one last thing crosses Elena's mind before she is asleep…..

If Damon doesn't make it back here, at least she will get to say goodbye.

* * *

_She gasps sitting upright in opening her eyes to the beautiful meadow. She feels a grin spread across her face that she is near _him. _Her Damon._

_The meadow is the same as ever but Elena notices small changes like the flowers starting to die….And the sky becoming darker. Elena's heart sinks and realizes whatever world or place this is….It's dying._

_Her heart sinks. No. If this world is dying….the world that his holding Damon and Bonnie that means….They are dying. _

_She won't let him slip away….there has to be a way. She stands up and looks around. She is again in the middle of the clearing with silence suffocating her. The woods are all on either side of her where Damon and Bonnie probably reside…She still hasn't seen Bonnie….Elena suddenly feels selfish at how little she has looked for her best friend. _

_She shakily makes her way through the meadow and to the forest. Before this place had this happy energy to it that would lift you up but now….It is hovering over Elena like a deadline. She finally reaches the forest and begins her search in, she tries to speed up knowing she never gets a lot of time here and if Alaric and them aren't successful she wants to have a proper goodbye….She needs it._

_Suddenly after a few minutes the sun from the meadow is gone and trees surround her on all her sides. That is all she sees….Trees. She is lost._

_She curses and starts running in any and every direction. She will be damned if she doesn't get to see him. She is running all over the place not looking where she is even going or watching her surroundings much when she clashes into something._

"_Umph." Elena falls onto her back._

"_Elena?! God…" His voice sounds across from her._

_Her eyes snap open at the sound and thanks to her vampire reflexes she is on her feet in an instant and hugging him as tight as she can, hanging onto him for dear life._

"_Damon!" She gasps and nuzzles into his shoulder._

"_Hey…Sshshh." He rubs her back. "What's wrong? Shouldn't you be happy to see me?" He jokes but she can tell he is worried that something went wrong._

"_Alaric, Jeremy and Stefan left to see the witch….But…" Her voice cracks which makes Damon squeeze her tighter. "They wouldn't let me go…I am in my hotel room right now scared that this might be the last time I ever see you…" She breathes out and clutches him more._

"_Baby…" He whispers into her ear. "Have more faith in little Gilbert, Broody and Monkey man." He jokes._

_She cracks a smile. "I just wish I could go and see you when you come back…" Tears rush down her face._

"_No….They are right. I don't know how I will be if I come back…I don't want to put you in danger or scare you….You are more important than that." He pulls back to cradle her face in his hands._

"_But…"_

_Damon cuts her off. "Trust them." He stares deep into her brown orbs and she finds herself nodding. "And the second I find I am fine I will vamp my way to your hotel room and lock the door." He smirks before kissing her slowly._

_She leans into the kiss and embraces it, both of them knowing it could be their last. She wraps her arms around his neck and brings him painfully close._

_He groans but again reluctantly pulls away. "You have to go soon. I feel it." Damon rests his head against hers._

"_Where is Bonnie?" Elena finds herself finally asking._

"_She is on the other side of…whatever place this is. There is a hotspot there that lets her communicate with Zarah well….Whereas your hotspot is here…Plus she wants to give us privacy knowing…." Damon trails off but she knows what he is thinking._

_Knowing these dreams could be their last moments together._

"_You two getting along?" Elena half smiles and looks up at him, changing the subject._

_He scoffs but before he can answer Elena sees the bright light blinding them once again, taking her away from him she looks quickly up into his cerulean eyes. "I love you. Forever." _

"_I love you too…And if I don't make it out….please mov-"_

_But she silences him with a hard and bruising kiss before she is pulled away from him._

_And gone._

...

"Elena?!" A voice calls near her. "Elena!"

Elena snaps her eyes open and looks around for what brought her awake but finds Caroline hovering over her with a frown.

"You were thrashing and mumbling…It was weird." Caroline explains and hands her a mug of blood.

Elena quickly takes it, finding she is hungrier than she thought. "How long was I out?" She breathes heavily.

"About four hours." Caroline shrugs and takes a seat at the foot of her bed.

Elena groans. "I saw him again…" She confesses.

Caroline perks up, raising her eyebrows and sporting a grin. "Oooh what happened!"

Elena sighs. "Not much…There is never enough time…" She bites her lip to stop her from breaking down but continues. "I told him the boys were on their way…And he agreed with their stupid plan to leave me behind." She grumbles.

Caroline laughs. "Of course he did. What else?!"

"I mean not much…We hugged…Kissed…I asked about Bonnie and I guess she is on the other side of wherever they are and busy communicating with Zarah….Then we said goodbye…just in case…Well we tried but we got pulled apart." Elena sighs resting her head against the headboard. "Plus…This is our last chance….When I was over there Caroline….The world was dying…It is running out of time…_We _are running out of time."

Caroline rests her hand on Elena's leg through the blanket. "They are trying their hardest….That is all we can hope for is that we try our best."

"Maybe I should call them…" Elena bites her lip.

"No, Alaric said he will call if something happens." Caroline scolds. "You don't want to mess something up."

Elena sighs and closes her eyes. "I just need to fast forward this day….This is the worst day ever…Not knowing if he will make it back or not…" She lets out a shaky breath.

"I know Elena…" Caroline squeezes her leg comfortingly. "Trust me if something like this happened to Stefan….God…" She shakes her head of those thoughts.

"Yeah it sucks." Elena nods.

"And all because he sacrificed himself for Stefan…I will never thank him enough or look down on him…That was completely selfless…And dumb but incredibly selfless."

Elena cracks a smile. "It was pretty dumb. It is okay, you can say that. God I wanted to slap him when he told me about it….At least compel someone to do it for us but he wouldn't let me…There was nothing I could do…." Elena shakes her head and feels her eyes burning again.

Elena and Caroline watched movies the hotel provided on the TV for several hours. Caroline did her best to take Elena's mind off of it. Elena loves her for it but she doesn't think Caroline really understands how Elena feels. She can't imagine living an eternity without Damon. He made her long existence after she became a vampire look bearable because she would be with him. Now that he is gone she really doesn't know what she would do….

Elena tries really hard to get absorbed into movie after movie Caroline put on but after they hit the seven hour mark Elena's anxiety was through the roof. What if something went wrong and they were in danger? What if it didn't work? What if like everyone's worst fear Damon isn't himself and they are dealing with that? God she really wants to know.

"Elena I can see your brain going at it again." Caroline warns.

Elena sighs. "I know…It has just been so long…"

"Elena, they are bringing two people from dead to living by a witch who they have never met and had to find….It takes time."

Elena nods thinking it over. Caroline is right. They came into Italy blind and not even knowing where the witch is….It will just take more time. And she knows Jeremy, Stefan and Alaric left armed and loaded so they should be safe….But Elena can't help but worry.

The watch a couple more movies and pass the ten hour mark and Elena is trying to focus on this movie Caroline put in about a waitress who ends up pregnant but her husband is abusive, weirdly enough Elena gets sucked into this movie and how forbidden her love with the mystery guy is that when she hears her phone ring she actually jumps and sits there for a few seconds in shock before vamping her hand to her nightstand and answering.

"Hello?!" Elena almost yells into the cell phone.

"_Elena…He is here."_ Alaric's voice sounds through the receiver like an angel. "_Damon and Bonnie are back_."

Elena covers her mouth with her free hand and tries to reign in her emotions.

She has Damon back. Damon her lover, best friend and her everything is back on this earth where he should belong. God she actually thought she would never see the day. In that moment she felt her heart swell and her future burst right open at all the possibilities she can do now with him. Things she wanted to do only with him for her eternal life. And she can again.

"Can I…Is he…." Elena lets out a shaky breath. "Can I talk to him?"

"_He is feeding on…several blood bags right now….He was pretty much desiccated when he came back to us…But other than that it is the same asshole as before_." Alaric chuckles and Elena feels a genuine smile cross her face, something she hasn't felt in months.

"That's…..amazing." She chuckles and feels tears spring down her cheeks like she has for months now. But this time…They are happy tears. "How much longer till you get back?"

"_I'd say two hours or so….Most of the time took finding her…Then trying to get enough power for the spell….I'll tell you all of this when we get back….See you soon Elena._" He says and she can almost hear his smile over the phone.

Elena hangs up and feels her smile still on her face. A smile that will probably never go away. She turns to Caroline and Caroline has the same grin across hers knowing everything went okay and things just might be okay again.

"I am so happy for you Elena. This is your second chance….Not many people get that." She crawls over where Elena is on the bed and squeezes her frame.

"I know….I won't take it for granted ever again." Elena shakes her head.

And she means it.

All the breaking up and getting back together was useless and just took time away from each other that they didn't have. The second he comes back she won't care how toxic they are, what people think. She loves that man and nothing can stop her now.

She just has to wait.

* * *

**Review?**

Sorry long wait, I am writing other stories and then got sidetracked by you know...Life. But i would never abandon a fic.

This was never meant to be a long and detailed story just a short sweet one i had in my head.

Should be about _another chapter or two left_, depending how long they are. Xo.

**Hope you all liked it. Until next time. :)**


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